Two months without pay
On February 24, in an exchange with reporters, Ms. Nguyen Thi Linh - Principal of Chau Nhan Kindergarten, Lam Thanh commune - informed that the school currently has 2 contract medical staff.
According to Ms. Linh, from the beginning of 2026, Lam Thanh Commune People's Committee has issued a notice requesting schools to terminate labor contracts due to lack of funds to pay. However, the school tries to maintain jobs for 2 employees because they have contributed for many years and the school still needs this position.
The school cannot terminate contracts during Tet to avoid a mental shock for workers. But if we are not funded by the province, we cannot afford it," Ms. Linh said.
According to Ms. Linh, the school's annual regular expenses are about 300 million VND, while the salaries of 2 contract employees already account for 160 million VND, not including 2 security guards. Without additional funding, the school almost has no funds for regular activities.
Leaders of Lam Thanh Commune People's Committee confirmed that at the beginning of 2026, the commune had a document requesting schools to terminate contracts due to lack of funding. "The commune has reported to the province requesting funding for contract workers but has not yet responded" - this person said.
In Cua Lo ward, Ms. N.T. Y - a contract teacher - said that she has not received her January and February 2026 salary yet. "The work still has to be done but there is no salary, life is very difficult, psychologically confused and tired. We hope for a clear answer from superiors" - Ms. Y shared.
According to local information, dozens of teachers and contract employees in Cua Lo ward are in a similar situation. Mr. Cao Minh Tu - Chairman of Cua Lo Ward People's Committee - confirmed that the reason was lack of funding. Previously, Cua Lo Town People's Committee (old) signed contracts and paid from autonomous sources. Currently, the ward does not have funds to continue paying and has reported to competent authorities to request solutions.
Review and remove obstacles
According to the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province, the whole province currently has 63 teachers and 148 contract employees signed by the (old) district level or assigned to schools to sign contracts. Many people have worked for over 20 years, in some cases up to 29 years, but mainly receive salaries equivalent to grade 1, even only reaching 85% of this level.
After implementing the 2-level local government model, some communes and wards have proactively allocated funds to continue paying in 2026. However, many localities do not have or have not identified funding sources, leading to the risk of contract termination or late salary payment.
Notably, in some communes of Nam Dan district (old), contract teachers and staff have not received salaries for November and December 2025.
The Department of Education and Training of Nghe An province said that it is coordinating with the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Finance to review contract needs according to Decree 111/2022/ND-CP, advising the Provincial People's Committee to submit to the Provincial People's Council to decide on the quantity and funds to pay for contract workers, and at the same time propose to the Central Government to consider increasing staff.
According to the Department of Education and Training, in 2026 Nghe An is expected to be allocated 42,087 educational staff positions, a decrease of 1,007 targets compared to 2025. Meanwhile, the whole province is still short of about 6,198 teachers, including 1,226 preschool positions, 2,726 primary school positions and 2,246 secondary school positions, not to mention the need for 2-session/day teaching. This reality puts the Nghe An education sector under great pressure: Both lacking staffed teachers and facing difficulties in ensuring funding for contracted forces directly teaching classes and serving schools.
